Expansion a recipe for success in Falmouth

You won’t have to go far to find the best part of the Falmouth Fruit and Vegetable Company’s recent expansion project. While they took a recent opportunity to modify their retail space, improve efficiency and embark on new projects like blueberry and cranberry processing, it’s the bakery that makes it special.

You don’t even have to go into the store to share the sweet smells that emerge from the building now that they’ve started to sell baked goods, but you’ll want to. The scent of fresh-baked bread, pies and cinnamon rolls is enough to entice even the most discerning of tastes.

Everything is made from scratch – there’s not a mix or anything pre-cooked in sight - using traditional, time-tested methods and the input of their valued customers.

“We get a wealth of information from people who are eager to share their knowledge and recipes,” says Traci Curry, co-owner. “It’s great because this is such a nice community and people aren’t shy about helping us improve.”

The expansion was planned originally at a steady pace over a number of years until Curry consulted with other members of the North American Farm Market Association who gave her some beneficial, lasting advice.

“They told me if I was going to expand, do it once and do it right,” Traci says. As a result, they worked at a frantic pace over the next six months and entered autumn ready and able to serve Falmouth and the surrounding areas.

This new development allowed them to take advantage of a short-but-frantic blueberry season, and the installation of an impressive cold-storage facility increased their previous freezer space at least four-fold.

Produce comes from 50-mile radius

Sarah Meads, who works at the Farm Market, says they do their best to play an important role in the community.

“Almost everything in the store is local,” Sarah says. “All our produce comes from a 50-mile radius to support local farmers.”

The only exception that came to mind were lemons, limes and bananas; everything else comes from Hants County. She added, “we’re in a position to offer good quality food at a better price and we’re getting a bigger and better variety all the time.

But they anticipate the bakery will create the biggest stir when people realize the high-quality product they produce on a regular basis. Baker Marjory Brown of Cheverie had worked previously at a Farm Market in Brooklyn and spent just four weeks in Falmouth before they needed to hire another baker to offset the growing demand. That’s when Wendy Parker from Mt. Denson pitched in, and the bakery has been booming ever since.

Open until Dec. 23

This is the second year in which Curry and co-owner Bev Connell have operated the Falmouth Fruit and Vegetable Company, and this year they’ve decided not to close in early November as in previous years, but to remain open until Dec. 23 to benefit Christmas shoppers.

Traci said even though the Farm Market has been a fixture in the community for nearly nine decades under the ownership of the Cameron family, she still deals with a visibility issue.

“Last year, we came into it as beginners,” she says. “It was a challenge for all of us, especially when I would meet people who didn’t know there was a farm market in Falmouth. We also didn’t have enough room for what we wanted to offer.”

She hopes the recent success of the expansion will improve the role they play in the community, and they’ll continue to grow together.

Traci’s family is the 10th generation living in the area and she appreciates the great way of life and sense of community she gets out of living and working in Falmouth. She encountered a number of visitors this summer who posed an interesting question.

“Tourists come in all the time and ask me, ‘Do you know how lucky you are to live where you do?’” Her response, especially now that the growing pains from the first year have subsided and they’re looking forward to the future with confidence, is a resounding ‘Yes’.

Fun place, happy and friendly

They currently employ seven full-time staff and that number expands to as much as 12 during the busy summer season. Everyone who works there seems to share the same excitement knowing they’re part of a team that’s improving all the time.

“It really is a fun place; everyone’s happy and friendly” Sarah said. She said they’re all community- and family-oriented people, even noting that Traci has one of her own children on staff.

In the not-so-distant future they look forward to continuing to expand and renew interest in Falmouth as the great village that it is, and in Hants County in general. They plan to expand the bakery line to include even more baked goods and focus on constantly improving their retail space. Above all, they want to take the time to enjoy the difference they’re making in the community.

“In order to thrive, you need to make the most of your opportunities,” Traci said. “For us, that means stay, live, work and grow.”

The Falmouth Fruit and Vegetable Company’s fall hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are located at 2053 Highway 1 in Falmouth.

If you’re not sure where that is, don’t worry - just follow the wonderful scents coming from the bakery and you’ll be there in no time.

--